David Modigliani is a renowned documentary filmmaker, celebrated for his remarkable ability to capture the intimate human experience of politics in America. His work has drawn comparisons to esteemed documentary filmmakers such as Albert Maysles and D.A. Pennebaker, with Variety noting that his films are "reminiscent of Primary" and The Hollywood Reporter praising them as "an inspiration for many viewers who have found it hard to believe there is any decency left in politics."
Modigliani's feature documentary, Running with Beto, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the 2018 U.S. Senate campaign of Beto O'Rourke, his inner circle, and the passionate first-time activists who supported him in his bid to unseat Ted Cruz. The film premiered at SXSW in 2019, where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary, and was later released on HBO to critical acclaim.
In 2020, Modigliani released his second feature documentary, Ready Or Not, which follows 17-year-old Black activist Marcel McClinton as he campaigns to unseat a powerful incumbent on Houston City Council. The film premiered on Fuse TV and Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas, with Texas Monthly praising it as "tenderhearted and entertaining."
Modigliani's first feature documentary, Crawford, explores the Texas town that George W. Bush turned into the Western White House. The film world premiered at SXSW in 2008, played 33 festivals, and became the first new movie to air on Hulu. His second feature documentary, 61 Bullets, delves into the untold story behind the 1935 assassination of populist U.S. Senator Huey P. Long in the Louisiana State Capitol Building, following the son of the alleged assassin as he fights to clear his father's name.
In addition to directing features, Modigliani has also co-produced several documentaries, including Trust Us, This Is All Made Up, about legendary improv comedians TJ Jagedowski and Dave Pasquesi, and More Than T, a feature documentary that weaves together the stories of six transgender Americans. He has also directed the viral documentary short Dress Rehearsal, about the organizers who won Wisconsin's "pandemic primary," and produced and co-directed a 12-part documentary series about young veterans returning from combat, Wounded: The Battle Back Home, which aired on MSNBC and was acquired by Netflix.
